


When I'm with you, I can't Breathe!

by INKyy



Category: Keroro Gunsou | Sgt. Frog
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, F/M, Hanahaki Disease, Inner Dialogue, Mutual Pining, being shy idiots, coughing up blood
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2021-01-22
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:13:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28394436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/INKyy/pseuds/INKyy
Summary: The Corporal's been coughing up petals for quite a bit now, and Natsumi wants to know why. But, like hell he'll ever tell her!
Relationships: Giroro & Hinata Natsumi, Giroro/Hinata Natsumi
Kudos: 6





	1. Let's pretend we didn't see that

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah, I started out on Fanfic.net FIRST, unsurprisingly... And this was the first multichapter thing I ever posted, so if it seems a little, uh... Amateur comparatively to my other fics, that's why. Otherwise, Enjoy!

Suddenly, It got harder to breathe.

He began to choke, gasping desperately for any oxygen he was now suddenly being deprived of. Did he inhale some spit or something?

No. He could feel _something_ roughly coming up from his lungs, desperately trying to cough it up.

A few more rough chokes and finally he could breathe again! Sure, phlegm and saliva slathered his hand thickly from the violent outburst and there might have been a bit of water in his eyes, but he had finally hacked up the damn thing!

What was it anyway?

He looked down into his palm that he had been using to cover his mouth with, and saw something that admittedly shook him.

His eyes immediately spotted what looked to be a few bright pink petals, still covered in spit.

But just as quickly, he shook them off. He knew what it meant, of course. But, despite that, he refused to fully acknowledge it. He refused to admit he was _**afraid**_.

So, he went back to tending the fire.

* * *

She caught herself looking out the window again... Practically hypnotized by the dying ashes billowing up from the fire-pit below. She quickly shook herself out of the calm haze and tried to put focus back onto the computer in front of her.

It was a dumb habit she had developed over the years. But, she supposed there was just something about those dancing embers that mesmerized her. Kept her calm or something... _She didn't know!_ But, what she _did_ know, was that it was distracting her from her mission to look up any interesting colleges to apply for!

yet, while she had forced her eyes to focus back on the screen before her, she couldn't shake off this bad feeling she had stirring in her gut...

Perhaps it just felt like there was something... **different** this time about those usually soothing flames. Something off about those dying embers that warned her of something that had her insides knotting uncomfortably.

She shook that thought off fairly quickly however. **_No need to add to the pile of things that were already stressing her out today,_** she thought.

So, she went back to scrolling on the computer.


	2. Just ignore that

Eventually, it came time for a mission briefing. Giroro had predicted it was just gonna be another on of his leader's ridiculous schemes that would no doubt backfire horribly one way or another. And when it inevitably did, he would then spend good few minutes or hours, depending on how tired he was, chastising his moronic sergeant for it.

And he was right, for the most part. As Giroro had yet again, found himself berating the green fool.

He didn't even wait for the mission to begin to fail before he was ranting. Didn't need to. It wasn't even an invasion plan, just another thinly veiled, stupid get-rich-quick scheme! It annoyed him further, knowing that he was getting _too_ used to these half-baked ideas the sergeant kept cooking up…

As the session droned on, the angry soldier's yelling grew louder in frustration. Pounding his fist mercilessly onto the table, just to further emphasize his recycled points to Keroro.

It took all of his self-restraint not to **throttle** his commanding officer for his constant incompetence as an invader. Although, his clear want to do so was obvious to even the dimwitted sergeant. If Keroro's cowering from the ready to burst corporal was anything to go by.

Luckily for them, Giroro's violent rant quickly became one of painful gagging and harsh coughing instead. Quickly gaining the attention and mild concern of the rest of the platoon, who were previously just watching the redundant scene unfold quietly, as per usual.

This time it was more painful and asphyxiating as he wheeze uncontrollably. Giroro began gripping the edge of the table as if it were a stress ball, and he could feel it _**crack**_ under his hand, splinters threatening to pierce his palm as he held on for dear life.

He had shoved is whole fist into his mouth just to hide what he knew to be more of those annoying little petals. Doing his damndest to quiet his largely loud hacks and gags.

Dororo was the only one to come to his aid, and began to lightly pat him on the back. Trying to help him ease up and cough out whatever got stuck in his lungs.

Eventually, his loud outburst was over. The sudden silence was deafening now as everyone stared at the heaving corporal, he made no motion to look up as he quietly muttered a thank you to the ninja, and swiftly excused himself from the room before another coughing session could begin again.

 _ **Without**_ apologizing for nearly breaking the table and Keroro...

This left the rest of the platoon confused, and growing more concerned for the soldier. It only skyrocketed when Tamama, after waddling over to inspect the damage Giroro had caused the table did he innocently ask if the corporal had eaten some kind of salad or something. "Cause he spat out these slimy, pink petals all over the table!"

Keroro and Dororo looked at each other with terrified realization, and Kururu just chuckled quietly in the corner, still facing his laptop in boredom.

"Oh, a rare galactic disease. How lucky."

* * *

A pale cat scampered of with a soft, pitiful murmur of a meow as it heard a violent hack emanate from a dark red tent. Leaving the poor frog all by himself to fume.  
  
And again! The stupid cough was back! How was he supposed to sleep and get his mind off it, if it refused to let him sleep and get his mind off it!? It'd been like this all day now! Making it just about impossible to do anything without spit and flower going everywhere!

It was over sooner this time however, and for that he was grateful. Finally allowing his mind to wander and hopefully rest.

Unfortunately, Giroro's mind wandered to the worst of places. Specifically, of _**her…**_

He growled in irritation, mentally cursing himself for being so gutless. He knew he should at least say _something_ to her now, given... THIS recent development. Maybe finally work up the courage to _admit_ his feelings to her. So he could at least have some kind of closure to his years old question, and not just stupidly _guessing_ and _hoping_ that she'd finally just catch on with him, and be the one to finally say _**SOMETHING**_.

But, every time he had even thought about it, the worst case scenario would immediately pop into his head and he'd back out before even going in.

So, now he has to deal with _**this**_ all by himself, because of his own cowardice.

He suddenly spat out a few more petals in another brief cough, and that only annoying him further. Although, he couldn't help but look at the newly hacked up petals, and pluck one up from the pile to analyze it a little closer.

He mentally chuckled a bit. His bleary mind finding some strange humor out of this situation.

"Of course she likes _pink_ Camellias…"


	3. Too late for that, I'm afraid

The next day, Giroro had woken up to the sound of an all-too-familiar voice calling for him.

It was almost funny in an ironic way that it was her.

Begrudgingly, he got up. Groggily stumbling here and there to open the flap of his tent, narrowly avoiding the scattered bits of petal here and there, just to see what he expected to be the pretty, but mildly displeased face of Natsumi Hinata. **Nope**. It was her, no doubt about it when he lifted the flap to see her, wincing at the sudden light of the sun high above. But, what he saw painted on her features when his vision clear, was one of clear _**concern.**_ Which was the first surprise of the day, as his beloved rarely _ever_ showed any sign of care or even pity for the wannabe invaders, even himself.

Oh don't get him wrong, he was happy he could be a rare exception today. But, he had to rub his eyes to clear them a bit further.

You know, _just to be sure..._

"Do you know what time it is?" Natsumi asked, her stern voice not exactly matching her current _worried_ expression.

Giroro shrugged, though he did expect it to be a _little_ later than what was usual for him. But, nothing to lose his mind over... Because, while he was commonly the first one to rise and go about his daily routine, he had a **bit** more trouble sleeping last night...

_If the pink petals that were scattered all over his tent are anything to go by..._

She finally put on that trademarked serious face, and crossed her arms.

_"It's **2 pm.** "_

He... Was speechless! Sure, he had figured it was a _little_ late but, _this_ late? That was the time _Keroro_ usually got up on the weekends, not HIM! He wouldn't allow himself to be so _**tardy**_ , and she knew that.

Natsumi continued, knowing she had the corporal's full attention now. "The stupid frog was acting all worried about you, but he seemed too nervous to actually talk to you." She leaned down a bit, now more eye-level with the red soldier, arms still crossed. "I'm guessing it had something to do with all that yelling I heard from the basement?" She guessed, a bit of playfulness in her tone.

Yeah... He kinda figured he was loud enough for the whole fucking street to hear him…

"S-something like that, yeah..." Giroro finally responded, not communicating with gestures anymore. It's just that, he was worried about another round of that annoying cough suddenly coming back when he spoke up. And he didn't want something like that starting back up while they talked, not in front of **her** of all people.

Natsumi nodded. "Yeah, but then he kept asking me if _**I**_ said something that hurt you in anyway… The fuck was that even supposed to mean?"

Giroro's body froze. He was swift to piece that new bit of info together, and could only come up with one conclusion. 

_**T**_ _ **he others know**_ … _**Crap**_. Guess he didn't do a could job of hiding those damn petals.

She looked back at him, her brow starting to furrow nervously at his silence. "I... Didn't, _right_?" And it was that point Giroro realized that he should probably say something before she gets it in her head that she actually _did_ do something wrong.

So, he _sputtered_ a bit. "Uh N-no! No, you didn't say anything to upset me at all…"

Hey! he never said it had to be _**gracefully** _put. And it served its purpose fine enough, as Natsumi's eyes softened a bit in what he assumed was relief.

"Well that's good!" She said, a small smile gracing her features as she plopped down on one of the cement blocks that circled the fire pit. "Wouldn't do for me to upset the guy who owns a rocket launcher, and makes killer sweet potatoes to boot."

And to that he felt a small, sadly familiar blush creep on his face. Though, he was swift to face away from her before she could see it clearly, simply nodding his head in agreement.

"So, what was the problem exactly? The toad was, oddly enough, very concerned about you."

Giroro just stood there for a bit, thinking. His mind quickly searching to come up with a believable explanation.

 _Like hell he was gonna tell her the truth!_ If he knew her well, _which he DID..._ Then that would just result in even more probing questions, that would eventually result in an unwilling confession... And then _that_ would result in a high chance for…

_No._

"Uhhhh… Don't know… It's probably nothing…?" He winced, continuing to avoid direct contact with Natsumi, as if meeting her gaze would give him away.

 _Really? That's the best he could come up with?_

After a while, he finally looked back at her. She didn't seem to buy it one bit either. Her eyes narrowing slightly as she frowned. "Really? **That's** the best you could come up with?"

Well, at least they were in an agreement…

"Look, I know you can be stubborn about admitting your problems. But, we're friends aren't we? And friends don't hide things from friends, unless they want their ass kicked!" She snapped. Natsumi didn't like things hidden from her, especially when it was one of the Keronians doing it. And she couldn't really be faulted for that behavior when he and the rest of his platoon didn't exactly have the best track record of... Anything, really... And she was right, about both the message and himself. And considering that his **life** was on the line as well, it was stupid not to talk to her about it… _But_ …

_**No.** _

He couldn't do it. He couldn't ruin this carefully cultivated friendship he had been working on for years now! Not to mention she was probably still into that annoying, stuck up, _pathetic,_ pretty hipster boy! How could she even…

He couldn't breathe.

_**No!** _

' _Goddamn it! Not now!'_ He tried suppressing it, fighting it! This couldn't be happening now! Not in front of her! But he coughed. God, how he coughed.

It grew ragged and terrible, like coughing up large rocks! He could practically feel it _ripping_ and _tearing_ out from his throat, desperate to escape it's fleshy confines. However, Giroro did his damnedest to keep his hand firm over his mouth this time! No petals! No nothing!

Natsumi was startled by this sudden violent outburst, but she helped him all the same. Just like Dororo, strongly patting his back to help ease the gags violently erupting from him. He kept faced away from her, refusing to let her catch the few bits of plant that threatened to burst from his mouth.

It had to have been about a minute later before it had finally calmed down. Only becoming small little bouts of air and plant that slightly sputtered from his mouth. He could feel her hazel eyes burning into the back of his head, Prodding for some kind of an actual answer.

_' ** _N_ othing?'**_

That was all either of them could think.

"Giroro, I want you to be honest with me this time. What's wrong?"

He remained faced away from her. What was the hell was he supposed to say? _'Hey I love you, but now if I don't think you love me back, I could die.'?_

Yeah, cause that'll work out so well for him… He couldn't be honest with her about it, even if he wanted too. That'd practically **be** suicide!

Giroro swallowed. If not to clear his now dry throat, then to hide the flower petals that had filled his mouth.

"It's just a bad cough." He grumbled. His voice rougher than usual. "Maybe got it from all the yelling I did yesterday…" He lied. His hand was only an inch away from his face now, so he could speak clearly. Natsumi didn't seem convinced, but she figured he wouldn't tell her no matter what she said or did.

And that scared her.

' _Why? Why won't you tell me what's wrong? Was it really something I did? What are you deliberately hiding from me?'_ She pondered. Questions flooding her head that she doubted he'd ever answer.

Finally, after narrowing her eyes to challenging slits, she stood up. Turning to walk away from him to open the slide doors into the house to go back inside. But, not before looking back at him. Letting Giroro see her worried but stern expression, to let him know she was **_dead serious._**

"Look, I care about you. So don't be stupid, okay?" And just like that, she was gone. Leaving him alone...

The soldier just stared at the door she left through, thinking about what he should do. Giroro mused about just staying in his tent all day, as if that would make his situation magically disappear. Though he figured it'd probably get everyone even more worried and suspicious, if nothing else.

He snapped from his thoughts when he sputtered a bit, tasting something _metallic_ on his tongue.

And that's when he thought of something that made his stomach sink.

Quickly, he looked to the palm he previously coughed into, just like yesterday when this first started. And while it was hard to see at a glance given his own red skin tone… _He could see the glistening blood clear as day._

It was just a few drops! The corporal reasoned with himself, trying to calm down at least a little. _Maybe it was due to all the coughing and not the disease itself! He couldn't be THAT far in... Right...?_ Giroro groaned in annoyance, he couldn't even fool himself with that excuse…

He found himself glancing back to the slide doors again.

"Six years too late for that, don't you think?" He muttered. Then retreated back into his tent, where he could be alone.

* * *

**_There was that nagging feeling again…_ **

Natsumi did her best to ignore it this time. Quietly making her way to the fridge to get something to chew on in a feeble attempt to get her mind to rest. Unfortunately, the fridge was devoid of anything that suited her fancy. Even the freezer was empty…

It pissed her off to say the least…

She quickly made a mental note of beating the stupid frog later, who no doubt had a part in the vacancy of the fridge before she slammed it shut in frustration. Wandering over to the couch, she quickly plopped down to watch some T.V in hopes that it would suffice as a good enough replacement to quell her annoying thoughts.

Unfortunately, despite the loud and flashy distractions the show she was _"watching"_ offered her; She found her eyes glancing over to the slide-in glass door beside the couch she sat at. Her eyes fixated on the maroon tent that stood quietly just outside the house.

The sounds from the television faded to a mute as Natsumi's mind began running again with questions and theories that all pertained to the red frog that lived in that very tent she was now just staring down. Finding that despite her best efforts of just brushing it all off and ignoring the alien entirely for the rest of the day, her mind instead became completely _**fixated** _on the Frog.

She liked him.

_Far more than her pride was ever willing to admit, but she did._

It was because they grew close, _wasn't it?_ Too close. He was supposed to be her enemy in this! A hostile alien invader who was hellbent on world domination! You know... Like the rest of that stupid circle jerk they called a platoon! Hell, Giroro was even more-so set on that _"mission"_ to conquer and enslave mankind than the rest of them!

But, _Nooooooo_ …. She just had to get attached, _didn't she?_ Had to befriend him overtime, _didn't she?_ Had to start feeling something _different_ overtime, **_didn't she?_**

Had to fall for his _stupid_ stoic expression. _Stupid_ potatoes. _Stupid **tough, but protective and mature personality.** Stupid **entertaining and thrilling blood lust and guns. And that** STUPID **… FUCKING SCAR THAT DEFINED THE REST OF HIS** STUPID **, ROUND, ADORABLE FACE!**_

All and all… She felt _stupid_ for it. Ridiculous even...

After coming to that startling realization of hers a while ago, Natsumi found her little crush a bit stupid for a few reasons... One part of it was that Giroro was… _Well_...

He was an entirely different species from her! _Although, she'd have to admit that she had found herself forgetting that for a bit..._ But, the real problem she believed for her was; While Keronians _certainly_ appeared to have a bunch of similarities with humans, that the only real difference was that they were more amphibious…

She couldn't help but get curious and start thinking… _Soon wondering..._

**_How much more... human-like were they exactly…?_ **

...But, as soon as _THOSE_ kinds of thoughts would pop into her head, she'd just as quickly dismiss them. Not at ALL wanting to visualize anything… **Perverted** like that. It always made her feel… Dirty. **_And she was better than that, surely!_**

She just found the whole thing to be _stupidly_ embarrassing for her. Which was why she chose to make sure she kept herself in check. More-so than she ever did with Saburo.

She knew her old crush with that man wasn't the most subtle thing in the world… Heck, her friends back at middle school and all the way through high school used to tease her mercilessly about it… _Hell, she wouldn't be all that surprised if they still believed she still had a crush on him..._

But, as the years went by and she had grown out of her more, hormonal driven stages in life… And while she became and still retains a good friendship with the guy... She just didn't feel that way anymore. _He was far too lax, too reserved. Too boring. He wouldn't have been much of a fun challenge at all!_

And Natsumi always craved a challenge.

But unfortunately, there was another, more important reason she found her crush stupid. Mainly because Giroro just never struck here as the _"romantic"_ type, to put it lightly… Seeming to care more for his love of all things war before anything or anyone else, really. He even seemed to treat a lot of frankly average situations with a militaristic view!

So it wasn't very hard to imagine him rejecting any kind of affection she had to offer. If he could even grasp the concept of love at all, _if his outlook on reality was really so skewed with war and violence…_ So, best to save her from the embarrassment of being rejected by a frog. God, that would absolutely kill her pride.

 ** _Still… they became friends…_**

And they did indeed grow fairly close, bonding over high-staked battles and by the fire in calm bliss. They were so similar, yet had enough differences to reel each other back on. To keep one from going too far. To keep one from being too reckless. They were a strong duo. Whether on the battlefield or not, she felt she could always win with him. **_GOD, that sounded cheesy..._**

_So… She couldn't help herself. No matter how **stupid** it was to her._

But, all the same, she forced her head away from the tent she had been glaring at for the past 10 minutes to focus back onto the screen before her. Just as she had done yesterday.

He kept her from being reckless… _So why would he allow himself to be?_


	4. I can Handle it

It was a few hours later, Giroro was still inside his tent, busying himself by looking over his guns quietly. Well… As quietly as he can manage with the spontanious bouts of coughing here and there.

And when he was just finished with cleaning his A429K Plasma Rifle, he heard the familiar high pitched croak of Keroro's voice from just outside the tent.

"Hey, um… Corporal Giroro? Can I, Uh... Talk to you for just a sec…? Please?"

Keroro was nervous, that much was obvious. _They didn't exactly leave off on very stable terms after all..._ But, as much as Giroro loathed his sergeant's incompetence as… Well, a **Sergeant**. He was still his commanding officer… And his _friend_.

With great reluctance, he opened the flap with a bit more force than needed to greet the green sergeant with his usual glare. And just like Natsumi, Keroro also had this look of pained unease on his face. With only a nervous fake smile attempting and failing to hide it.

Keroro couldn't help it, the Corporal looked _awful…_

"What do you want, sir?" Giroro _'greeted'_ _._

"Ah! Hey buddy, _didn't think you'd actually_ … I-You know what, nevermind! I was jus' coming by to, uh... S-see how you were doing, yyyou know?" Keroro chuckled stiffly. Rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

Didn't help that Giroro's tired glare was unwavering, making his attempt at small talk all the more jumbled and disjointed.

Too bad that Giroro didn't at all sympathize. He knew that Keroro knew out about his… Problem. And he just didn't want to be the first to say it out loud.

So, he'd kindly ' _spare'_ the sergeant from having to.

"This is about the coughing, isn't it?" Giroro muttered coldly. He was too tired for this shit, and just wanted the damn moron to get to the point already. The soldier was already in a bad mood, as is. And the idiot's _'humorous subtly'_ wasn't helping!

Keroro was taken a bit off guard at his bluntness, but quietly nodded to confirm. He would admit this much, _he was never good at handling serious situations... No matter how much he tried_.

"Has it… Has it gotten worse…?"

Giroro didn't respond. He just remained quiet, letting the silence answer for him. And to this, Keroro winced slightly. But luckily for him, his leader knew just how to fix this mess! And decided to help finally brighten this depressing mood with it!

He chuckled, causing the red soldier to raise a scrupulous eyebrow at the green frog's sudden and suspicious switch in behaviour.

Keroro could be a real mischievous little bugger when he wanted to be, so whenever he chuckled… It usually meant he was up to something... And those something's never boded well for anyone. Especially Giroro.

"Oh, don't worry too much about it! After all, there is an easy cure for it!" The corporal's eyes widened at this. Was there? Did he mean he could make sure Natsumi recuperated his feelings? ' _Unlikely… What's his stupid plan this time?'_

Seeing doubt begin to reach the soldier's face, Keroro continued. "We could always get Pururu to surgically remove those pesky plants, no problem!" A surprised realization had finally hit Giroro. And to this reaction, the sergeant grinned widely.

Now Giroro could see what he was getting at. And he knew the side effects of that alternative. as while removing the plants through surgery is an effective method to get rid of the disease; The extraction of the plant this way causes the patient to lose all previous feelings for their beloved…

_And he didn't know if he wanted it._

"Ah… I see…" He mumbled quietly.

Keroro paused at this somewhat _sad_ tone. Shouldn't Giroro be _happy_ that his glorious leader had found a way out of his problem? Shouldn't he be at the very least, grateful?

He stuttered a bit again, not knowing how to respond to this unexpected reaction. "S-so…. Does that mean you'll… _THINK_ about it, corporal?" Keroro asked.

Giroro simply nodded, and retreated back into his tent without another word. Leaving Keroro confused, and just standing out there numbly for a few more minutes before finally leaving to go about his own day.

He left Giroro to think about it so he wouldn't have to. He knew it was somewhat selfish, but that was just easier for the sergeant...

* * *

Giroro just sat in his tent as he racked his brain, thinking over Keroro's suggestion of just getting the surgery and being rid of this stupid disease. And soon enough, he realized the ramifications of the surgery should he go through with it and getting rid of his hopeless infatuation for the Pekoponian female… _Would be a good thing in the long run._

He knew this surgery could benefit not just him, but his _mission._

As, _while he would never say it out loud..._ Giroro knew he was also guilty, if not more so, for the decline of the invasion. Because sure, while his pride would never allow him to admit it, he grew a bit attached to this planet...

But more accurately, he grew attached to _ **her**_ …

Time and time again, Giroro had found himself throwing plans in a bin whenever Natsumi had been tossed into harm's way. And while he tried to get over it… _Damn did he try..._ Actively devising his own schemes, simply centered around getting her out of the picture one way or another…

But, when it finally came down to the wire. Between her and his mission. Of just the simple act of finally pulling the trigger, he just couldn't do it...

And if he could just abolish that problematic obsession, he could go along with the invasion with no problem! No attachment… No emotion… No _Natsumi_.

...But… That was the reason he also _didn't_ want to do it.

He grew _**too**_ fond of the Pekoponian. Too fond to just forget her and just move along with the Invasion instead. The reason he was on this fucking rock to begin with! To invade! But, not with her around… _Noooooo…._

Natsumi just **had** to be difficult, had to _**make** _it difficult! Had to be strong, respectable, relatable, violent, passionate, beautiful! Had to make him literally _fall_ for her after that very damned day, when she beat him like a throw rug and punted him out a goddamn window! _He could still remember the amount of glass he had to pull from his ass, as laid defeated there on the grass in pure shock and utter infatuation..._

_**And his petty crush only kept growing after that…** _

Growing with every little moment. Every battle, won or lost, didn't matter! Every short but sweet conversation they shared, every long entertaining conversation! Or just enjoying blissful silence in each other's company by the fire, eating goddamn potatoes!

He couldn't tell you how many times he's found himself fantasizing about her, fondly remembering some of the battles they had together, or even with each other. He just knew he did that more times than he had planned invasion strategies!

_He couldn't help it! Truly!_

...Then again, it's not like he's tried very hard not to... Not anymore anyway…

Hell, he'll probably still be hopelessly smitten with her even after she confessed her feelings to that _**pathetic**_ , scrawny, white haired pretty boy and they start dating! Just the very thought twisted his gut and made his already sore throat go dry.

The more he thought about it, he figured he probably won't even see that day. And he supposed that he should be thankful for that, shouldn't he? Thankful to Natsumi for just being her wonderfully violent self.

Although, he knew he should also blame himself. More-so. Just for being his stupidly stubborn, cowardly self.

All and all, he should be relieved right? Happy, even. So, why wasn't he?

He knew he should just get the procedure done! Get it over with! It was stupid to die for nothing! This **is** nothing! He's never had or is ever gonna have a real chance with her anyway! So what's the point of all this?

Why the hell Is he just sitting here…? Living out the rest of his days, unsure of Natsumi's feelings and in fear his own heartbreak!? _**This**_ _ **WAS**_ _ **suicide!**_

He couldn't breathe.

And once more, petals tore from his throat and onto the floor. He could see the small specks of blood begin to stain the pink flower that littered the ground. He didn't care, he just wanted it to be over already, so he could go to sleep and briefly forget about it.

Was he really that sad? Why can't he just say _something_? Was he that much of a coward, when it came to her? Was he truly that… _**Pathetic?**_

If he wasn't so damn proud, he probably would've cried.

He didn't.

_Really._


	5. Can't sleep on this

Natsumi couldn't sleep.

She just couldn't! Damn did she try, but her most recent conversation with the red frog that lived in the backyard had kept her mind otherwise occupied. She didn't want to worry so much, she felt stupid for it!

 _ **Giroro's smart enough to not put himself in any real trouble! He's fine! You're just overreacting!**_ She kept reasoning with herself. But, from the looks the rest of the platoon's been giving the tent he slept in, and to **herself** oddly enough all week...

Well… It didn't sit well with her.

Every now and then, Natsumi found herself looking out the window beside her bed. Straining her eyes just to catch the dark maroon tent in the yard. _**Good god, what was she doing?**_ Desperately she tried to screw her eyes shut and just force sleep.

But, she just couldn't... Not with the memory of that horrid coughing. Constantly buzzing in her mind like some pesky fly she couldn't manage to swat away!

And finally, she gave in. With a mighty _**" _FUC_ K IT!" **_she threw the bed sheets away from her, shoved on her slippers and headed out her bedroom door. Just angry at herself.

_**What's wrong with her? Why does she even care so much about this guy? He's an IN-VA-DER! And yet, here she is! Quickly, but quietly heading down the stairs to the living room, going to the backyard just to check and make sure that this** _ _**dangerous, gun-toting Alien** _ _**was okay!** _

Her pride was practically screaming at her the entire time she trudged her way to the backyard. But, she put up an effort to ignore it. As another part of her mind just screamed back images of that little episode the corporal had, where she could've sworn she saw something red, or even… Pink flying out from his mouth that he was desperately trying to shut up.

She was concerned. And she couldn't help it.

She slid the porch doors open, quietly. She just wanted to check on him, not wake him up in the middle of the night. Him never knowing she was there would be just fine with Natsumi!

It was then she heard the all-too-familiar cough, emanating from the Giroro's tent.

She took the advantage to quickly scramble to the tent without the worry of being heard by the very perceptive soldier. But, she couldn't help but note that the coughing had gotten worse.

It was horribly ragged and harsh, it hurt her own throat just listening to it. It sounded excruciating and rough, like a car that's wheels were far too low, and grinded mercilessly against a rough road. She didn't know how to put it... It was difficult to fully explain!

It felt like an eternity before it finally ceased, Now replaced with heavy but, battered breath. Natsumi was by the tent now, but unsure whether or not to sneak a peak in, just to see how bad it was.

But, morbid curiosity had ate at her. She just HAD to know, had to see what that dumb toad was so hellbent on hiding from her.

So carefully, she lifted the flap of the tent. Praying to whatever god that was up there, that Giroro didn't catch her peeking in. But, what she saw… Well it confused and admittedly scared her.

There was the corporal. Of course. He was lying on his side, his back to her. What caused her to raise an eyebrow, were these little pink things that filled the room. Petals perhaps? But, they were slightly stained with red, and that's what freaked her out.

She let the flap fall down, silently. She was startled, to be sure. She just didn't know what to think, what to guess or even to say. What could she say? There were only questions. So many questions!

_Why were there petals all over Giroro's tent floor?_

_Why was his coughing getting worse?_

_What could she say? Should she say something?_

_Was that blood on those weird petals? Why?_

_Why won't he say anything? Why was he lying?_

_If he was lying the whole time about it… Was this really her fault?_

_**It felt like her fault… But, why?** _

She wanted to wake him, if he wasn't already. She just wanted to shake him for some answers, dammit! But, would he even answer her questions? Without lying? Maybe if she could corner him in the conversation, be blunt and let him know what she knew.

 _Or maybe she just shouldn't say anything!_ A part of her mind interrupted her previous cesspool of alarming thoughts, Trying to calm the young woman. _**After all, Giroro was tough! She already knew that of course, she had told herself that an abundance of times already just today. And he sure acted like it was nothing, so it must be nothing right?**_

For all she knew, the corporal really just had a bad cough! And the petals? Eh, probably were there for a while now! She's rarely ever been in the stuffy tent anyway! So they were probably a common thing for him! For whatever his weird reasons may be... How could she know they weren't? 

it was nothing to lose her mind over, right?

… But then, there was a quiet sob that broke her train of thought.

 _'Was that… Giroro…?'_ She leaned in closer to listen, hoping she was wrong.

She had to be! When has that hard-boiled amphibian ever expressed any kind of sadness? Much less tear-up!? She sure as hell never saw that! So that couldn't be what she was hearing!

...Right…?

But, then another rang out, much to her surprise. _'He was… Crying!? The tough, respectable, no-nonsense,_ _ **Battle-hardened SOLDIER,**_ _Giroro… Was Crying?_ _ **THAT GUY!?'**_

And that did it. That was the last straw for her to break the camel's back. She resolved to just damn his want of privacy and secrets, damn his stubbornness, and just damn the consequences in general for what she was going to do!

"Giroro?"


	6. Instant Regret

_**Natsumi!?** _

Giroro was fairly certain his heart stopped for a second there, but his mind ran like a bullet train. _**What the hell was she doing outside his tent?! Did she hear him?! God forbid,**_ _ **see**_ _ **him!?**_

He forced his bothersome crying to cease, quickly sitting up and rubbing vigorously at his reddened eyes to dry them. _Of all people..._ She was the very LAST person on that long list he'd want seeing him so… _**Pathetic!**_

He noted the mess of flower on the floor, but had only partially committed to getting rid of it. Carelessly pushing the petals away with his foot as he walked shaking a little, absolutely nerve wracked about going to confront the woman waiting outside for him. God, he didn't want to talk to her. He didn't want to even see her at all today! 

But, here she was!

_**WHY?!** _

And why _now,_ of all times!?

Giroro carefully creeped up to the flap, half hoping that he just hallucinated her voice due to his bleary mind from the excessive lack of sleep. _How much did she figure out just from being outside his tent, for god knows how long? Was she really that concerned for him?_ He would've been tremendously flattered, if he wasn't so petrified of even facing her. He was so afraid to even use his voice.

He knew for a **fact** that'd it come out raspy and ruined, you know? From all the choking on flower garbage he'd been doing for about 3 days now! But, what other option did he have? Pretend to still be asleep and hope she goes away?

Yeah, like that'll happen...

Natsumi was a stubborn creature, much like himself. And would probably just be more incentivised to keep pushing until he did respond. Or just grow impatient and barge into his tent… And see the blood and petals that sprinkled the floor...

_Yeah..._

He didn't want to chance how polite she was feeling toward Alien invaders tonight… _M_ _ight as well get this over with…_

He reluctantly, _Slowly_ lifted the flap to greet the Pekoponian female. She was sitting on her knees, eye-level with the Corporal, which had caught him off guard a little.

Natsumi winced at the sight of the Keronian's sickly appearance. He had definitely gotten worse.

_And in such a short amount of time too…_

His eyes were all puffy and bloodshot, probably from the lack of sleep, non-stop coughing… _And crying_. And his normally blood red skin had even degraded to be a tinge gray, as if he were dehydrated. Giroro had even appeared to have lost a bit of weight in the past few days too. _How long has it been since he's eaten? Does_ _ **he**_ _even know?_

Giroro noted her horrified expression and shrunk a bit. He figured that he did look a little worse for wear. Enough to a point where even Natsumi would be alarmed at his appearance, to the point where she hasn't even said anything yet!

"N-Natsumi…?"

Her expression only grew worse at his voice. It was so croaky and ragged, almost unrecognizable to the deep, mature voice she had grown familiar with. She wanted to say something, but just seeing and hearing him... Her _**friend**_ like this… It was just painful!

"Giroro… What happened to you…?" She finally muttered, just staring at this husk of what should be her partner.

Her voice was trembling. She didn't like it... It made her feel _weak_ , but she couldn't help it! This was such a far cry from the Giroro she had grown to… To like! He looked so weak and rundown, and he just sounded like he was in agony.

Giroro didn't know what to do, all he _could_ do was just stare back at her. His mind screaming, demanding that he banish himself back into the confines of the tent, all the while begging her to just go away!

But, his body just stood there, **frozen in place**. Forcing him to take part in this painful confrontation, afraid.

They were _both_ just so afraid of what to say to the other.

"I...I…" Giroro couldn't even make out a sentence. _What_ _could_ _he say? How could he fib his way out of this one?_ _ **Can he?**_ He tried clearing his throat to speak more clearly. It was a mistake. It burned badly, and probably just made it worse…

"Go away… _Please_." He managed to force out. Strangled and tired.

He knew he couldn't lie and say he was fine, they both could clearly see that he was not. But, he didn't really care. He didn't want to explain _**any**_ of this, he didn't want her to know anything. He just wanted her to leave him to his misery, it was his own fault anyway!

Natsumi looked shocked at his _weak_ request. And Giroro thought for a second that she was actually going to listen and do what he asked. Of course, that was stupid of him to even consider the possibility, as her eyes slowly began to narrow.

And her shock switched to anger.

"That wasn't a _question_ Giroro…" She growled, her tone low and warning. And Giroro swore he felt a shiver run up his spine. "...That was an _order_." Natsumi finished, her tone low with quiet rage. She wanted answers and god dammit, she was going to get them **tonight**.

Just the look in her eyes and her venomous tone alone, sent the Soldier's heart racing. He wasn't entirely sure if it was out of fear, or arousal. Because even in his sorry state, he still couldn't help finding Natsumi's violent traits even a little attractive. God, he loved her.

God, he's so dead.

He stammered a bit, quickly snapping back to his senses. Trying to find any valid excuse. _**ANYTHING** _at this point! "I… Told you, Natsumi… It's just an annoying cough. Nothing mo-"

He didn't even get to finish, but it wasn't the petty cough that had interrupted Giroro this time. _Oh no_. He was swiftly yanked by the belt _hard_ , and pulled _**considerably**_ close to the fiery red-head. Promptly setting his face ablaze. Only praying to whatever god will listen that she doesn't notice him starting to gain some color back...

"Don't you dare lie to me again! I'm not as stupid as you all like to think I am!" She spat coldly, Just angry that he was so intent on keeping whatever was wrong a secret. It was so obvious he was hiding something! Yet here he was, still being stubborn!

Why was he beings o reckless?! So Adamant! So secretive… What was he so afraid of?

" _'An annoying cough, nothing more'?_ **No!** No it's not! Look at you! _Listen_ to yourself! And **then** tell me with a straight face, that any of this is normal!" The woman chastised him, like a mother disciplining her child. Giroro couldn't find his destroyed voice to respond. It didn't help that he was still so close to her face, that he could practically smell her breath. Still minty fresh from when she brushed her teeth for bed.

So he admittedly had to fight with himself to not pass out. Nevermind pay attention.

"Well!?" Natsumi shouted. Apparently not caring if she woke up the whole house anymore. Giroro's mind buzzed with a million thoughts. All the while trying to focus on one, without her distracting him.

One part of him was screaming to just spill it, tell the truth! Confess to her and just have his answer already! He was dying, so what did he have to lose? Another said to just let this pitiful circus show continue, that ignorance is bliss! And that even if she said _'I don't'_ , that he'd still refuse to get that stupid treatment!

No matter how much it meant to this mission, or if it was just stupid and pointless to die thinking or feeling unloved. That dying like that was a **pathetic** way to die as a soldier, he still couldn't imagine doing it. He was too stubborn, too _**pathetic**_ to give up on it.

He couldn't breathe.

He choked, gagging in her face. And she let go of him, caught off guard at another session of that ugly coughing. However, this one was… Different… It wasn't so much coughing, and more **puking**.

It was lumpy coming up, and it just felt… excruciating. Like his throat was tearing into bits with every exacerbated heave. Giroro couldn't take it anymore! He fell to his hands and knees, retching up whatever had clogged his lungs. And Natsumi could only watch… Horrified.

Finally, he spilled out the large pink masses that fell blood-soaked onto the grass. Giroro immediately gulped down large amounts of dearly missed oxygen. Tears running down his face, likely due to the sharp pain coursing through his chest and throat. Spit oozing from the Corporal's mouth as he panted, dripping down from his chin.

She could even see the blood following the wet trail.

Natsumi's eyes caught the bright pink and looked down to see what looked like torn, reddish-pink flowers. Flowers that she swore she recognized, but couldn't place where. Then it hit her.

_Was this another weird space virus that she just hadn't heard about yet?_ She looked back at Giroro, who was still heaving.

_Giroro's been throwing up_ _**flowers** _ _this entire time?_

Whatever this weird cough was, it was clearly hurting him. **Badly**. And the blood-tattered plants had Natsumi guessing it could've been… _Deadly_.

Just the thought made her heart sink. _Was this slowly killing him? Is it_ _ **gonna**_ _kill him?_ She couldn't let that happen to Giroro, after all he's done for her in the past. After all they've been through together. All the time they've spent.

_No_. She wouldn't let that happen to him, not for a second. She cared about him too much.

She scooted closer to him to reach him better, so she could place her hand firmly, but comforting on his shoulder. It got his attention, as Natsumi noted him jumping slightly under her touch, before slowly and meekly raising his head up to see her tense features.

Whether she was more worried or angry, was difficult to gauge for Giroro.

"I don't care what reasons you have for hiding this from me for days. Or why you haven't been treated yet. And I know you haven't been treated yet, because I sure as hell have never seen you leave your tent **once** at all during the past few days." She quietly and methodically scolded. Once more earning another shiver from the sick Keronian.

"I'm taking you to the stupid frog, so he can have Pururu or Kururu or whoever the fuck has the skills to make you an antidote for whatever the fuck **this** is!" She finished, and firmly grabbed Giroro by the arm to pull him up.

But, he fought with her. Shaking and just refusing to budge from his post, this of course was no real surprise to Natsumi. Only that he still had some notable strength still left in him. "C'mon you stubborn mule! I am not having you die on me!" She yelled, continuing to try and yank him from the ground.

What did surprise her, is that Giroro started to **plead** with her.

"N-No! Please Natsumi! I'm not getting that surgery! You can't make me! Just _**please**_!" It was a genuine fear that plagued his damaged cords. To a point where it even made Natsumi freeze in position, and her vice grip loosen.

"W-what?" Natsumi asked.

It was very unlike him to… _Beg_ like that. And with so much blind horror and fear, it honestly startled her. And Giroro seized this opportunity to free himself from her hold and back away from her, looking almost as shocked by his roaring pleads as she was.

She looked at him, and Giroro's face quickly became unreadable. Facing away from her, electing instead to look down at the grass. Just to avoid her piercing gaze. The woman's fear grew slightly as she continued to stare the Soldier down.

"What did you say…? Giroro…?" Natsumi lightly probed the small Alien, but he only continued to stare at the dirt beneath his feet.

"What surgery?" She asked, trying to regain being austere with him. But, her shaky voice was making it difficult. Giroro stiffened, wincing at the word. _**Surgery**_.

He said too much, and he knew there was no way in hell she was leaving now. He should've known that as soon as she came to check on him in the middle of the night, _purely out of concern_. But, part of him didn't want to believe it. _Almost couldn't believe it..._

He thought for a moment. 

Subtly, he snuck a small glance up at the woman before him. That concerned face of hers...

_Oh, fuck it._

He sighed heavily. ' _Gonna die either way_ _…'_ He thought bitterly, mentally preparing himself for the oncoming onslaught of even more questions his answer would inevitably bring, as he tried to word it.

"... It's called _**Hanahaki**_." He said with a grumble. Natsumi was only a little startled at his submission, but her face twisted into that of confusion at the disease's name. Absentmindedly repeating it, just to make sure she heard him right. Giroro nodded slightly, looking up at her in the corner of his eye.

"It's an extremely rare galactic disease, that usually occurs when-" His confidence died, catching in his throat, and he mentally cursed himself for it. But, Giroro's thoughts quickly became clouded as he spoke. Fixated with doubtful thoughts and concerning possibilities about her reaction if he continued to describe it.

"...I-it occurs when a victim believes that their… T-their _crush_ … Will never... L-l...Luh...Recuperate their f-feelings…" Giroro finished, mumbling clumsily here and there. Still trying to hide as much info as possible while simultaneously sharing it.

Natsumi stared at the Soldier, dumbstruck. It made his hesitancy all the more stark, just peeking at her surprised reaction over his shoulder. It only grew worse when she finally responded after what felt like a century with:

"... _ **You**_ have a _**crush**_ on somebody…?"

_**God,**_ that's when he wished that the disease would just kill him already… This was just painful.

He slapped his hand against his face to hide the feverous blushing that was literally fuming off him. And Natsumi immediately reacted.

" _ **NYAHGG!**_ _Well y-you can't blame me for thinking that! Your just so stoic and grumpy about everything! It's just a surprise h-hearing s-s-someone like you admit tha-at you've g-got a soft side, you know!_ " She rambled loudly, without much thought into what she was saying.

Her outburst caught Giroro by surprise. And he didn't know why... But he kinda found her embarrassment cute. He figured that maybe it was because of some kind of strange irony, after all these years of _him_ being visibly embarrassed around _her_! Giroro could even see her own vicious blushing! He sorta had to fight a smile despite himself.

It made him feel a _little_ better at least…

The Soldier rolled his eyes. "Yes, big surprise… _The_ _ **big and tough**_ _Corporal's got a soft side_ …" He said, sarcasm dripping from every word. It helped Natsumi snap out of her small babble of bashfulness and swiftly switched to glare at the sickly frog. Who could help, but smirk now.

She thought for a bit, her glare faltering slightly thinking about his information now that she had it. She huffed a bit as she spoke. "So, who's the lucky girl huh?" Natsumi retaliated. Though, she was legitimately curious...

' _Ah crap.'_ Giroro froze, reminded of the situation he was in currently. He knew she would ask that… But, he _**really**_ didn't want to answer…

_So he'd lie!_

"Just some chick I guess…" He mumbled half-heartedly. Natsumi raised an eyebrow at him, a hint of doubt fading into her features as she tried to persist being tough with him.

"Some chick to do this to you." She replied darkly. He still wasn't being fully honest with her, still trying to hide any bit of info he could slip past her! It only further aggravated her. "Well, whoever this _chick_ is; she isn't worth possibly dying over!"

A sharp pang went through the Corporal's chest when he heard those words. ' _ **I'm**_ _ **not worth it.'**_ She may not have been aware what those words meant to him, but it still hurt to hear Natsumi say such a thing.

Giroro chose his next words, _**VERY**_ carefully… "She is to me." He uttered slowly, quietly. Looking her dead in the face, an enraged glare staring her down intensely. Natsumi felt her own shiver at his serious, albeit ragged tone. He elected to continue, before she had the chance to say anything else.

"Hanahaki can be cured in two ways. Either the patient's… Crush can show that they return the feelings, or the patient gets surgery to remove the plant along with the feelings altogether. And I refuse to do that." Giroro finished. His expression and tone, unchanging.

While she faltered slightly, Natsumi quickly regained composure and glared back at him with equal intensity. Wondering about how this mystery girl could possibly affect someone like Giroro, and in such a weird way!

She felt a sliver of jealousy forming in her stomach. But, quickly shoved it away before it could fully form. _'This is not the time for that!'_ She mentally scolded. Reminding herself of the current situation at hand. And that given the circumstances, it was the _**LAST**_ thing Giroro needed!

What he needed now was support. "Then why don't you just _tell_ her then?" Natsumi asked simply. The Soldier stiffened at the mere suggestion, his eyes widening slightly. It's as if she just asked Giroro to do something unthinkable, like toss his belt out or something.

She glared at him, waiting impatiently for his response. She was rewarded with a quiet mumble from Giroro. "I… She clearly doesn't feel the same way… What would be the point other than make it worse?"

God, he felt sad, and just plain weak. Just standing in front of her with such a _pathetic_ voice, as he spoke about his stupid feelings and insecurities with her. Completely shattering what he preferred to uphold as being a tough and dependable Soldier.

With anyone else it would've been embarrassing. But, with Natsumi? It was just ** _painful._** His face heated up uncomfortably. He had half a mind to just bolt it out of the scene entirely, not really caring where he would end up in the world. Just as long as it was as far away from her as possible!

God, he's going to die with SO MANY regrets!

Then her voice broke through his clouded mind. "Then it's clearly not worth it, Giroro! If you're so sure that she doesn't like you, then **she's** not worth it!" She was fuming. How dare this girl do this to him! He was _dying_ , yet he refuses to get any help! All because he didn't want to lose feelings for this **dumb** broad!

_**God, he's a stubborn idiot!** _

And again! That sharp pang came back! How dare she say that! How dare she repeat that foul claim! He snapped, and his mouth moved before his mind could.

" _HOW_ _ **DARE**_ _YOU SAY YOU'RE NOT WORTH IT!?_ " Giroro screamed. And almost immediately, he regretted it. And not just because he admitted his feelings to her, loud enough that he might as well have broadcasted it live to the whole fucking planet! But, it also had stung his burning throat like a bitch.

He only realized his mistake when Natsumi's face fell in utter shock, and his words echoed across the yard, happy to tauntingly repeat it back to him, over and over again.

' _ **OH FUCK!'**_ Was all he could think!

And Natsumi just stood there, equally dumbstruck. Staring at him, visibly taken aback at his newest outburst and its context. "You… _I'm_ … **WHAT!?** " She yelled back.

_'Oh, dear God… Please... Just let this disease kill me already…'_ But, it didn't. And he was having trouble figuring out if that was a good thing.


End file.
